Carbothermal reduction reactor system, components thereof, and methods of using same
Methods, systems, and components suitable for carbothermal reduction processes are disclosed. Exemplary systems include a reactor, such as hybrid solarthermal-electric reactor, a solar thermal reactor, an electric reactor, or a reactor heated by gas combustion, a pellet source, a gas reactant source, and a vacuum source. The reactor can operate as a moving bed or pseudo moving bed reactor.
1. A condenser comprising:
a housing having an interior volume, a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing comprising:
a first inlet at the first end of the housing to receive a moving bed of particles flowing in a first direction through the interior volume of the housing of the condenser;
a second inlet to the housing to receive a stream comprising gaseous metal flowing in a second direction different than the first direction through the interior volume of the housing;
a first outlet at the second end to dispense the particles and condensate material condensed on the particles from the interior volume of the housing; and
a second outlet to remove gasses from the interior volume of the housing, the second outlet operably connected to a vacuum source; and
a temperature controller operably coupled to the housing and configured to maintain temperature of the particles at the first inlet to below a boiling point of the metal.
2. The condenser of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a diluent inlet.
3. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to operate at sub-atmospheric pressure due to removal of gasses by the vacuum source.
4. The condenser of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling source proximate the first inlet external to the housing.
5. The condenser of claim 1 , further comprising a heating source proximate the first inlet external to the housing.
6. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to provide the condensate material as a liquid.
7. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to provide the condensate material as a solid.
8. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to inhibit oxidation of metal as the metal condenses onto the moving bed of particles.
9. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to utilize a metal that comprises magnesium.
10. The condenser of claim 1 , wherein the second inlet for the stream comprising gaseous metal is operably connected to a carbothermal reactor.
11. The condenser of claim 1 , configured so that the moving bed of particles comprises a metal to be condensed from the stream comprising gaseous metal.
12. The condenser of claim 1 , configured so that a rate of the moving bed of particles is maintained to maintain the temperature of the moving bed of particles at a desired temperature.
13. The condenser of claim 1 , configured to control a partial pressure of an oxidizing gas.
14. The condenser of claim 1 , wherein the temperature controller is further configured to maintain temperature of the inner walls of the housing to above the boiling point of the metal.